Folding doors



July'7, 19.59 E. J. HOLDEMAN Erl-AL FOLDING nooas July 7, 1959 E. HOLDEMAN ETAL FOLDING DOORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1957 INVENTORS E uG-EN E :n HoLoeMAN,

W\L.LIAM *r2 GREEN BY mMg/ummm ATTGQN E YS United States Patent 2,893,483 Patented `luly 7, c 1959 FOLDING DOORS Eugene Holdeman, Freeport, and William T. Green, Apple River, lll.

Application March 15, 1957, Serial No. 646,487

7 Claims. (Cl.v 160-220) This invention relates to improved folding doors of the articulated rigid slat type.

The doors of the present invention are especially suitable for. use as doors for hog houses, chicken houses, barns, 'and the like, but are also suitable for use as garage doors, replace screens, and the like.

The primary object of the invention is: to provide more practical and efficient folding doors of this kind wherein the slats cooperate to form a closed panel in the unfolded condition of the door and in folded positions of the door so as toprovide relatively impervious door panels which afford protection against rain, wind, and cold both in the unfolded and in the folded positions, the related longitudinal edges of adjacent ones of the panels being shaped to bear against each other in both unfolded and folded or open positions of the door, the slats being held in their cooperative relations by hinge chains secured along their end edges.

Another object of the invention is to provide folding doors of the character indicated which can be made in attractive, rugged and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, are easily installed and used, and are highly satisfactory for the purposes intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter is described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a contracted fragmentary perspective view of one form of folding door of the invention disposed in a door opening;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view taken from the right of Figure 1, showing in phantom lines displacement of the door by such as live-stock passing through the door opening;

Figure 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing an end portion of one of the slats and associated male `and female links of a hinge chain connecting adjacent slats;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective View, with portions broken away and in section, of xanother form of the invention, involving extensible slats for accommodating the door to door openings of different Widths;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a still further form of the invention; and

` Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on the plane of line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, indicated generally at 10 is ra wall having therein a door opening bordered by a. frame 12, the wall 10 being a portion of such as a hog house or the like.

Mounted in the frame 12, and indicated generally at 14, is a folding door comprising a plurality of horizontally elongated parallel rigid slats 16, constructed of any suitable material, whose lower and upper edges 18 and 20 are oppositely and double beveled to enable relative pivotal movements of adjacent slats` in the manner indicated in phantom lines in Figure 2, bevels of the beveled edges 18 and 20 of adjacent slats being arranged to abut in a displaced condition of the door 14, so as to form a closed panel. On the ends 21 of the slats 16 and spaced from the edges 18 and 20 are longitudinal outwardly projecting rectangular bosses 22, for a purpose hereinafter described.

Extending along the ends 21 of the assembled slats 16 are hinge chains, indicated generally at 24. Each of the hinge chains comprises pluralities of pairs of elongated at male and female links 26 and 28. The male linksV 26 have substantially square middle portions 30 having reduced thickness lower and upper ears 32 and 34 on their ends, having arcuate outer ends 35 and having i concentric holes 36 and 38, respectively, therein. The

female-links 28 comprises rectangular body portions 40 terminating at opposite ends thereof in clevises 42 and 44 in which the ears 32 or 34 of the male links 26 engage. The clevises of the female links 28 have extending therethrough transverse bores 52 and 54, respectively, alignable with the holes in the ears of the male links. The ends 46 of the clevises of the female links are arcuate to enable pivotal movements of the male and female links relative to each other. The female links 28 have extending through the body portions: 40 thereof pairs of longitudinally spaced bores 56 through which fasteners 58., can extend for -securing the female links l28 tothe ends 21 of the slats 16. The female links 28 are mounted on the rectangular bosses 22 on the ends of the slats, so as to provide suicient clearance for the inward ends of pivot pins 62 extending through and connecting related male and female links, between the inward sides of the clevises and the ends 21 of the slats 16. It is to be noted that in the closed condition of the door 14, the apices 63 dened by the bevels of the edges 18 and 20 of adjacent slats are in substantially abutting or touching relation, as indicated in Figures l and 2.

The uppermost male links 26 have secured on their upper ends upstanding eyes 64 which are engaged over hooks 66 secured in and depending from the upper transverse member 11 of the door frame 12 of the wall 10.

As shown in Figure 2, in phantom lines, the door 14 can be readily displaced by a hog or the like, passing through the frame 12, and thereafter assumes the solid line position shown in Figure 2, and adequately close the opening of the door frame.

In 'the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, and indicated generally at 14', which is otherwise the same in structure as that of Figures l to 4, the slats 16 which are connected together by hinge chains 24, comprise telescoping sections 68 and 70, which may be adjusted relative to each other endwise :to accommodate the door 14 to different width openings.

The form of the invention shown in Figures 7 and 8, and generally designated 14, involves slats 16" like the slats 16 and 16', but which are positioned vertically, and the hinge chains 24 are at the upper and lower ends of the door 14". The body portions 40 of .the female links 28 have `secured thereon by means of the fasteners 58, the horizontal legs 72 of roller assembly brackets 74. The brackets 74 have vertical legs 76 having extending laterally therefrom shafts 78 having journaled thereon rollers 80. Indicated generally at 82 is a channel rail incorporating an upper horizontal flange 84 secured to the top of the door opening, the rollers being engaged in the guide rail to suspend the door 14" for lateral folding of the slats 16" as the door 14 is opened and closed. The guide rail 82 can be longitudinally curved, as in the case of a fireplace Vscreen or the like, and the door Y1,4" will adapt itself to the curvature of the guide rail.

'Y Thev foregoing is considered illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes ywill readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

` What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A folding door comprising a plurality of elongated rigid slats having ends and longitudinal edges, said longitudinal edges being double beveled to provide bevel surfaces and apices between related bevel surfaces, and hinge chains having links secured along the ends of the slats and providing for hinging of adjacent slats relative to each other from a coplanar relation in which the apices of adjacent slats abut so as to eliminate spaces between adjacent slats, the bevel surfaces providing clearance for hinging of adjacent slats relative to each other.

2. A foldingdoor according to claim 1 wherein said hinge chains comprise female links having body portions secured to the Slat ends, said body portions having clevises on their opposite ends which are spaced from related edges of the slats, and male links having body portions bridging adjacent slats and having reduced width ears Von opposite ends thereof engaged in related clevises of female links, and pivot pins traversing related clevises and ears.

3. A folding door according to claim 2, wherein suspending means for the door are provided on the hinge chains.

' 4. A folding door according to claim 2, wherein sus- 4 pending means for the door comprises eyes on end links of the hinge chains.

5. A folding door according to claim 2, wherein suspending means for the door are provided on the hinge chains, said suspending means comprising brackets on the body portions of the female links of a hinge chain.

`6. A folding door according to claim 2, wherein suspending means for the door are provided on the hinge chains, said suspending means comprising brackets on the body portions of thek female links of a hinge chain, rollers on said brackets, and a channel rail in which said rollers are engaged.

7. A folding door comprising a plurality of elongated rigid slats having ends and longitudinal edges, and chains along opposite sides of the door comprising female links fixed to and extending along the ends of the slats and male links extending between adjacent female links and bridging the separations of adjacent female links, said female links comprising body portions secured to the slat ends and clevises on opposite ends of said body portions, Isaid clevises being spaced inwardly from related edges of the slats, said male links comprising body portions of substantially the same thickness as the body portions of the female links, reduced thickness ears on the ends of the male link body portions engaged in related clevises, and pivot pins traversing and pivoting together related ears and clevises.

References Cited in the file ofY this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 20,236 Worthen May 11, 1858 1,937,304 Worrell` NOV. 28, 1933 2,002,171 ByronV May 21, 1935 2,059,063 Tourville Oct. 27, 1936 2,389,970 Ferguson Nov. 27, 1945 2,539,380 Ziemmer'man Jan. 23, 1951 

